A National Geographic documentary team has discovered on Mount Everest what is believed to be the partial remains of a British mountaineer who disappeared 100 years ago while attempting to become the first to climb the world's highest mountain.
The group announced Friday that the expedition found the foot wrapped in a sock and boot with “AC Irvine” embroidered on it. It may belong to Andrew “Sandy” Irvine, who disappeared at the age of 22 along with the legendary mountaineer. George Mallory near the summit of Mount Everest on June 8, 1924.
“This is the first real evidence of where Sandy ended up,” said photographer and filmmaker Jimmy Chin. National Geographic. “There are a lot of theories out there.”
“When someone goes missing and there's no evidence of what happened, it can be a very difficult situation for the family. And just getting definitive information about where Sandy ended up is… But it’s certainly difficult.” [helpful]and is also a big clue for the climbing community as to what happened,” Chin added.
Everest climbing duo vanishes from infamous area of world's highest mountain
Boots discovered on Mount Everest by a National Geographic documentary team are believed to belong to Andrew Irvine, a British climber who went missing on the mountain 100 years ago. (Jimmy Chin/AP/Mount Everest Foundation/Royal Geographical Society via Getty Images)
In his last letter to his wife, Ruth, before disappearing on Mount Everest a century ago, Mallory, 37, said his chances of climbing the world's highest peak were “50 to 1,” but that he had no hope for her. I tried to ease his anxiety. us. ”
Mallory's body was discovered in 1999, but there was no evidence that the two had ever reached the 29,032-foot summit of Mount Everest, according to the Associated Press.
The apparent discovery of Irvine's body may narrow the search for the Kodak vest pocket camera loaned to the climbers by expedition member Howard Somervell.
Nepalese guide, British mountaineer beats own record for most Everest summits
Color photograph of members of the 1924 British Everest Expedition. Back row, left to right: Andrew Irvine, George Mallory, John de Vaas Hazard, Noel E. O'Dell, Expeditionary Physician RWG Hingston. Front row, left to right: E. O. Shebert, Jeffrey Bruce, Dr. T. Howard Somervell, Bentley Beetham. (Captain JB Noel/Royal Geographical Society via Getty Images)
The Associated Press describes it as the holy grail for mountaineers. This is possible photographic evidence that New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay actually climbed the mountain almost 30 years before they did so on May 29, 1953. .
The socks and boots were discovered in September on the Central Rongbuk Glacier below the north face of Everest.
Irvine's family is reportedly volunteering to compare the remains with DNA test results to confirm his identity.
A sock with “AC Irvine” embroidered on it was found under the north face of Everest. (Jimmy Chin/National Geographic via AP)
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“I've lived with this story since I was 7 years old, when my father told me about the mystery of Uncle Sandy on Everest,” Julie Summers, Irvine's great-niece and biographer, told The Associated Press. “When Jimmy told me he saw A.C. Irvin’s name on the sock label inside his boots, I was moved to tears by myself. It was and remains a special and emotional moment. I will continue.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
